


Dangerous to Dream.

by 360loverpenguin



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Future Fic, Gen, Katolis (The Dragon Prince), Nightmares, Rayla deals with her past.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:00:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29341713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/360loverpenguin/pseuds/360loverpenguin
Summary: Rayla clutched at the too-warm blanket with as much force as she could muster, trying desperately to bring her mind back to the present.Instead of fixating on the hundreds of other ways that night could’ve ended.She glanced over to the other half of the bed, its emptiness cornering her where she sat. Callum was safe.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26





	Dangerous to Dream.

It was cold.

That was all Rayla’a mind could process as the world around her slowly pieced itself back together. She clutched at the side of her head, a dull ache radiating from all sides.

Slowly, she flitted her eyelids open as she pushed herself from the unforgiving stone floor. She staggered to the side slightly, blinking as her surroundings came in and out of focus. _What happened? ___

__It was the north tower. She’d recognize it anywhere. The last time she was here was burned into her mind with such ferocity she was sure she’d never be free of it - the night she and the others had come to assassinate the king. The night she’d met Callum. ( _And nearly killed him _, her mind unhelpfully provided).___ _

____But this was _wrong _. She shouldn’t be up here. Last night she had been in her room, staring at the ceiling and waiting for sleep to claim her.___ _ _ _

______Rayla gripped the side of her head once more, leaning heavily against a nearby table._ _ _ _ _ _

______Shouts erupted from beyond the thick wooden door, the sound of clashing armour drawing closer. Her heart sped up, panic washing over her numb senses in an instant. Was there an intruder in the castle?_ _ _ _ _ _

______She took an unsteady step away from the table; she had to get to Ezran. Guards rallying this deep into the castle must’ve meant whoever it was already had access to the grounds - _might’ve already gotten to Ez _\- She’d never forgive herself if that happened.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Rayla didn’t have her blades. She’d set them carefully beside her bed as always - but she was far from there now. It didn’t matter. She’d figure something out - _she always did _.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The guards were on the door now, their shouts ringing and clashing in her ears, and not making any sense at all. She felt the world tilting around her again, and clenched her jaw, willing it to still._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“The elf is here to kill the prince!” A wave of shock coursed through her body as one voice managed to be heard around the rest. Dread filled her stomach. Surely - _surely _they didn’t mean her.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Cries of bloodthirsty - _monster _\- drew up from the rest of the crowd, and Rayla in an instant knew she had been right.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She dug her palms hard against her eyes, trying to push the fogginess out of her mind. This didn’t make any _sense _. It was like they thought her an assassin all over again.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Rayla whirled around, leaving the door to her back. It felt cowardly to run - but maybe there was another way out. She could just find -_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Her blood ran cold, heartbeat drowning out all shouts into an ominous blur. Her lungs screamed for breaths she wouldn’t take._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Callum was there._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He was pressing himself as far from her as he could up against the large desk. Just like he had all those years ago, on the night they had met._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Rayla choked back a sob, clasping a hand over her mouth. This was different. His eyes… this time, they were afraid. Of _her _. Each time she made a noise, she watched him flinch further into himself. He believed the words pouring into the tower.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Believed she was a monster._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________——_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Rayla’s eyes flew open, revealing the carved stone ceiling of her bedroom. Her breath struggled its way out of her chest, hand trembling as she pushed herself into a sitting position._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________She curled her knees to her chest, focusing on slowing her heart. It had just been a nightmare. She clutched at the too-warm blanket with as much force as she could muster, trying desperately to bring her mind back to the present._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Instead of fixating on the hundreds of other ways that night could’ve ended._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________She glanced over to the other half of the bed, its emptiness cornering her where she sat. Callum was safe._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________(And wasn’t it ironic that she was so sure of that when he was far from her?)_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Rayla had seen him off a few days before. To the Storm Spire. She shut her eyes (it was too dark), picturing the way he had looked at her before he left._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He had smiled as he held her hands gently in his, eyes filled with such _warmth _, and love, and -___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Did she deserve that? Any of it?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Rayla carefully wiped the tears away from her eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________She was alone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed! I know it isn't my best piece... but it was fun to start to explore Rayla's character.
> 
> Thanks for reading <3.


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